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research-article

Now what?: action items from social science research to bridge the gender gap in computing research

Authors:

Tracy CampAuthors Info & Claims

ACM SIGCAS Computers and Society, Volume 44, Issue 4

Pages 5 - 8

https://doi.org/10.1145/2695577.2695578

Published: 08 December 2014 Publication History

Abstract

Our culture is currently paying a great deal of attention to issues of diversity in computing and technology. More specifically, society wonders why there are not more women involved in computing. Statistics on women's representation in all levels of the postsecondary academic pipeline, and in professions outside of the academy, have been bleak for decades. In response to this, social scientists have taken great interest in understanding why this cultural phenomenon exists. Although women's underrepresentation may seem intractable due to many years of stagnancy, we urge readers to take heart, and capitalize on the cultural climate, which places great emphasis on promoting gender equity and diversity in computing.

In this article, we review a number of factors that explain women's low participation in and attrition from computing, which have been developed through empirical research. We then articulate actionable items that can be implemented "on the ground" in classrooms and professional settings, as well as "on the books" at the administrative and public policy level. We conclude by urging readers to consider this a "people's issue" rather than a "women's issue", because all people can benefit from environments, cultural beliefs and policies that espouse inclusivity and equity.

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Cited By

Negrier-Seguel MHochstetter-Diez JDiéguez-Rebolledo MCáceres-Senn MCadena-Martínez R(2024)Analysis of Strategies to Attract Female Talent in the Software Development IndustrySustainability10.3390/su1616676116:16(6761)Online publication date: 7-Aug-2024
https://doi.org/10.3390/su16166761
Lionelle AQuam MBrodley CGill CStephenson BStone JBattestilli LRebelsky SShoop L(2024)Does Curricular Complexity in Computer Science Influence the Representation of Women CS Graduates?Proceedings of the 55th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education V. 110.1145/3626252.3630835(729-735)Online publication date: 7-Mar-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3626252.3630835
Mejias MWashington GBurge LWilson DKouaho LMarshall J(2024)A Framework For Discussing Black Student Threats to Belonging in Computer Science2024 Black Issues in Computing Education (BICE)10.1109/BICE60192.2024.00011(15-20)Online publication date: 1-Feb-2024
https://doi.org/10.1109/BICE60192.2024.00011
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Index Terms

Now what?: action items from social science research to bridge the gender gap in computing research
1. Social and professional topics

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Information

Published In

cover image ACM SIGCAS Computers and Society

ACM SIGCAS Computers and Society Volume 44, Issue 4

Special Issue on Women in Computing

November 2014

25 pages

ISSN:0095-2737

DOI:10.1145/2695577

Editors:
Dee Weikle
SIGCAS
,
Netiva Caftori
SIGCAS
,
Vaibhav Garg

Issue’s Table of Contents

Copyright © 2014 Authors.

Publisher

Association for Computing Machinery

New York, NY, United States

Publication History

Published: 08 December 2014

Published in SIGCAS Volume 44, Issue 4

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Cited By

Negrier-Seguel MHochstetter-Diez JDiéguez-Rebolledo MCáceres-Senn MCadena-Martínez R(2024)Analysis of Strategies to Attract Female Talent in the Software Development IndustrySustainability10.3390/su1616676116:16(6761)Online publication date: 7-Aug-2024
https://doi.org/10.3390/su16166761
Lionelle AQuam MBrodley CGill CStephenson BStone JBattestilli LRebelsky SShoop L(2024)Does Curricular Complexity in Computer Science Influence the Representation of Women CS Graduates?Proceedings of the 55th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education V. 110.1145/3626252.3630835(729-735)Online publication date: 7-Mar-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3626252.3630835
Mejias MWashington GBurge LWilson DKouaho LMarshall J(2024)A Framework For Discussing Black Student Threats to Belonging in Computer Science2024 Black Issues in Computing Education (BICE)10.1109/BICE60192.2024.00011(15-20)Online publication date: 1-Feb-2024
https://doi.org/10.1109/BICE60192.2024.00011
Acilar ASæbø Ø(2022)Exploring students’ motivations in choosing to study information systems: is there a gender difference? A survey study in NorwayVINE Journal of Information and Knowledge Management Systems10.1108/VJIKMS-12-2021-031554:6(1221-1232)Online publication date: 12-Jul-2022
https://doi.org/10.1108/VJIKMS-12-2021-0315
Johnson PMoore CLeong PPaek SZhang JSherriff MHeckman SCutter PMonge A(2020)RadGrad: Removing the "Extra" from Extracurricular to Improve Student Engagement, Diversity, and RetentionProceedings of the 51st ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education10.1145/3328778.3366793(746-751)Online publication date: 26-Feb-2020
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3328778.3366793
Mejias MJean-Pierre KWashington GBurge L(2019)Underrepresented Groups Threats to Belonging in Computing2019 Research on Equity and Sustained Participation in Engineering, Computing, and Technology (RESPECT)10.1109/RESPECT46404.2019.8985905(1-4)Online publication date: Feb-2019
https://doi.org/10.1109/RESPECT46404.2019.8985905
Blaney JStout JCaspersen MEdwards SBarnes TGarcia D(2017)Examining the Relationship Between Introductory Computing Course Experiences, Self-Efficacy, and Belonging Among First-Generation College WomenProceedings of the 2017 ACM SIGCSE Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education10.1145/3017680.3017751(69-74)Online publication date: 8-Mar-2017
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Misa T(2016)ReferencesCommunities of Computing: Computer Science and Society in the ACM10.1145/2973856.2973871Online publication date: 7-Nov-2016
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Misa T(2016)Framing Computer Security and Privacy, 1967–1992Communities of Computing: Computer Science and Society in the ACM10.1145/2973856.2973869Online publication date: 7-Nov-2016
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